Candle In The Dark
by Blackbird Snow
Summary: There cannot be dark without light. G1


I don't own anything here. Except Lantern. *puts collar on him*

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**Candle In The Dark**

Almost midnight at the Decepticon base. Hook sat quietly in the empty rec room, nursing a small cube of energon held carefully in his hand. His other hand was resting near the center of the table, being lightly massaged by a smaller black one which was attached to the young mech sitting across from him. He looked up at the mech, only a youngling who stood no taller than his chestplates, staring into his deep ruby optics. The child's forest green armor glittered softly in the dim lighting of the room as he tilted his gaze to meet Hook's, smilng warmly.

The boy's delicate ministrations to his hand sent fluttering pulses up the Constructicon's arm.

"You look tired," the boy noted. "I think you work too hard."

Hook frowned at him. "Lantern, that's what everyone says. And when they do, they always fail to think what would happen if I _did_ decide to set my wrench down and engage in the activities they say I need, which are all pointless and time wasting."

Lantern was only grinning at him, his short rant failing to sway the youngling. "And you always say that after someone asks you to do something fun. I think it's just your way of showing you care."

"You think wrong, child." Hook glared into his half-finished cube. "They always go out and nearly get themselves scrapped, and then they come back crying to me to fix them, _again_."

He suddenly fell silent, watching the contents of his cube swirl. He could feel Lantern studying him. The petting of his hand never stopped. The touches actually felt more reassuring. The room was deathly quiet, until Lantern cracked the stiff air with his gentle, young voice. "But you still care for them."

"Why do you say that?" Hook asked, almost growling out the querie.

"Because you did it for me," Lantern smiled. "You stayed with me all through the night."

"I still failed you," Hook muttered solemnly.

The small mech placed his other hand over his friend's. "Not completely. I was able to go back to my creators when I had missed them so much."

"Lantern..." The look that was upon the youngling's face suggested the boy was positively happy and that the medic should just deal with it. Hook absolutely refused to ever get emotionally attached to his patients. If he did, he felt he could never do his job right, but this one had done something to him on a spark-deep level. Though Hook had never realized it at first. He was glad to see Lantern again. He tried desperately to hide it, but no doubt the boy could see it as plain as day in those strange ways of his.

His smiling optics told him that.

Suddenly the weight of the day seemed to lie heavily on his shoulders. Hook's voice became a quiet whisper, as if he didn't want anyone else to hear what was said between them, even though they were alone. "We almost lost Breakdown today. He was heavily damaged from the battle, and his fuel pump was overworked..."

"Hook?"

Bonecrusher's voice was like hearing thunder before ever knowing there was going to be lightning. Hook didn't even hear him enter the room.

"What is it?" the medic ground out, his voice going back to it's normal, moody tone.

"What are you doing here? We've been trying to comm you. Breakdown's awake, Scrapper wants you to go check him out."

Hook passed a sigh through his vents and stood, walking over to his gestalt mate. "Hurry it up then," he growled.

The other Constructicon fell into step beside him. "Sure thing...Who were you talking to anyway?" Bonecrusher asked, looking suspiciously at the table where all that sat was a half-empty energon cube.

"I was just thinking out loud," Hook replied, staring down the hallway before him.

Bonecrusher was quiet, which only told Hook that he was probably looking at him in a way that said _'You really need a vacation'._

It didn't matter to him. First things first. He kept a quick pace down the hall, goading the other to catch up, and letting his fingers curl around a small invisible hand.

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Yeah...Lantern's dead. He just likes to keep his old medic company when he feels he's needed. :)

_"I will be your guardian,_

_When all is crumbling, _

_I'll steady your hand."_

- Never Say Never, The Fray


End file.
